A Landscape Strategy for Lancashire"

A585 Windy Harbour to Skippool TR010035 6.9.2 ES Appendix 9.2: Extracts from "A Landscape Strategy for Lancashire" APFP Regulation 5(2)(a) Planning Act 2008 Infrastructure Planning (Applications: Prescribed Forms and Procedure) Regulations 2009 Volume 6 October 2018 A585 Windy Harbour to Skippool Appendix 9.2: Extracts from "A Landscape Strategy for Lancashire" Page Left Intentionally Blank Planning Inspectorate Scheme Ref: TR010035 Application Document Ref: TR010035/APP/6.9.2 A585 Windy Harbour to Skippool Appendix 9.2: Extracts from "A Landscape Strategy for Lancashire" Infrastructure Planning Planning Act 2008 The Infrastructure Planning (Applications: Prescribed Forms and Procedure) Regulations 2009 A585 Windy Harbour to Skippool Improvement Scheme Development Consent Order 201[ ] ES APPENDIX 9.2: EXTRACTS FROM "A LANDSCAPE STRATEGY FOR LANCASHIRE" Regulation Number: Regulation 5(2)(a) Planning Inspectorate Scheme TR010035 Reference Application Document Reference TR010035/APP/6.9.2 Author: A585 Windy Harbour to Skippool Improvement Scheme Project Team, Highways England Version Date Status of Version Rev 0 October 2018 DCO submission Planning Inspectorate Scheme Ref: TR010035 Application Document Ref: TR010035/APP/6.9.2 A585 Windy Harbour to Skippool Appendix 9.2: Extracts from "A Landscape Strategy for Lancashire" Page Left Intentionally Blank Planning Inspectorate Scheme Ref: TR010035 Application Document Ref: TR010035/APP/6.9.2 A Landscape Strategy for Lancashire Landscape Character Assessment Figure 8: Landscape Character Types & Landscape Character Areas Scale approx 1:325,000 at A3 page size 29 A Landscape Strategy for Lancashire Landscape Character Assessment Figure 9: Urban Landscape Character Types 30 A Landscape Strategy for Lancashire Landscape Character Assessment Landscape Character Generally below 50m, this landscape type is characterised by gently undulating or flat 15 lowland farmland divided by ditches in West Lancashire and by low clipped hedges 15f elsewhere. The Fylde landscape in particular is characterised by a high density of small marl 15e pit field ponds. Many hedgerows have been removed to give very large fields, open road 15d verges and long views. Although woodland 15b cover is generally very low, these views are 15c punctuated by small deciduous secondary woodlands, mostly in the form of shelter belts or estate plantations; they provide a backdrop 15a to views. The history of the area as an arable landscape is reflected in the farm buildings, particularly the highly distinctive red brick COASTAL PLAIN barns with brickwork detailing. Settlement is relatively dense in this lowland landscape; clustered red brick farm buildings, hamlets, Character Areas rural villages and historic towns are all present. 15a Ormskirk-Lathom-Rufford Older farm sites and red brick barns are often surrounded by recent development and the 15b Longton-Bretherton many converted barns now provide 15c Croston-Mawdesley characterful homes. There is a dense infrastructure network; meandering roads 15d The Fylde connect the farms and villages while major 15e Forton-Garstang-Catterall roads and motorways provide a fast route across the landscape, linking major towns. 15f Knott End-Pilling Typical view - photo 30 below. 89 A Landscape Strategy for Lancashire Landscape Character Assessment Physical Influences Human Influences Glacial and post-glacial deposits of clays, sands Evidence of early inhabitants of the area has and marine alluvium have completely masked been found in areas which were at the fringes the solid geology of mudstones and of the ice sheets. The best example is at sandstones. However, the drift is relatively thin Poulton-le-Fylde, a skeleton of an elk was between Scarisbrick and Skelmersdale, discovered which displayed evidence of exposing a broad band of sandstone. The hunting. landscape is therefore strongly influenced by Environmental remains, such as pollen the surface drift which constitutes boulder clay, evidence from the lake muds and peats of the penetrated by pockets of glacial sand and Lancashire mosses, confirm that vegetation gravel and deposits of post-glacial blown sand cover was extensively altered by the arrival of which form distinctive landscape features. The Neolithic farmers, with deliberate destruction landscape is gently rolling, and, until recently, of the forests to make way for farming and peat accumulated in low-lying areas within the settlements. In the mosses of the Fylde and to glacial till to form mosses which have largely the south of the Ribble, where conditions are been reclaimed for agriculture. right for the preservation of organic materials, The land is highly productive and has a very there is evidence that people visited and low proportion of semi natural vegetation. utilized the landscape from a timber trackway Wildlife habitats are therefore typically small and stone and bronze implements. There is scale and fragmented. Ancient woodland is likely to have been settlement on higher rare, although estate plantations offer ground fringing the mosslands.There is important refuges for many species of flora evidence at Pilling of Neolithic and Bronze Age and fauna. Carr House Green Common near settlement and at Kirkham there is an early Inskip is a mosaic of semi natural grasslands Roman fort. and scrub and a Biological Heritage Site. It is a Population increased during the 12th to 13th rare survival of a Fylde landscape little changed centuries, along with changes to agricultural from the 19th century. systems. There was a rapid extension of Species-rich meadow or pasture is almost pasture to supply wool for the growing English entirely restricted to small areas of secondary and Continental markets. The regularity of colonisation along man made features such as street plans in many settlements of the period roads and railways although arable weeds such suggests the planned rebuilding or extension as corn marigold and poppy still persist locally. of some villages as a result of population The nationally rare purple ramping fumitory pressure. Elsewhere settlement remained as occurs in a few places. Flooded marl pits isolated hamlets and farmsteads. This which are an integral part of the agricultural traditional settlement pattern is still evident in landscape together with more occasional brick the landscape today between Parbold and clay working s and subsidence pools are often Mawdesley. Older settlements are generally rich in species diversity, for example Longton located on higher, free draining deposits and Brick Pits. are typically brick built. In places, low boulder clay banks mark the However the plain remained largely edge of the coastal plain and represent the unpopulated until the early 16th century, when boundary with either inland marsh and mere pressures on available land forced further as at Holmeswood near Rufford, or with improvements and reclamation of mosslands. former coastal marsh before reclamation. This occurred across the landscape and at These banks often support remnant semi- Ormskirk and Burscough some of the best natural vegetation such as relict ancient agricultural land in the country was created. woodland, species-rich grassland and scrub. Market gardening became important to the local economy. Improvement also occurred on sandy soils where marl was added to the soil. The Leeds and Liverpool Canal is a feature and created important links to the cities for 90 A Landscape Strategy for Lancashire Landscape Character Assessment the export of produce and the import of Important local industries from the early manure and ash for fertilisers. The flat modern period include the widespread clay topography and strong prevailing winds have extraction for brick making and also the historically provided good conditions for wind exploitation of salt from the brine wells to the power.Wind pumping mills aided the drainage west of Pilling. These have resulted in of the landscape and windmills were used for significant flooded quarries and subsidence grinding grain. These features still exist and pools respectively. can be found near Martin Mere and Pilling. CHARACTER AREAS - COASTAL PLAIN The Coastal Plain landscape type occurs in six distinct areas, all within the lowland landscapes of western Lancashire. Local Character Areas Description 15a Ormskirk-Lathom- The undulating lowland farmland around Ormskirk is characterised by Rufford large fields and red brick built farms which reflect the arable agriculture typical of the area. Old red brick barns with diamond shaped detailing on the end walls are particularly characteristic of the area; many can be seen scattered amongst the residential streets of newer settlements. There are a number of designed landscapes associated with large houses, such as Rufford Old and New Halls, Scarisbrick Hall, Lathom Hall, Blythe Hall and Moor Hall, which provides some enclosure to an otherwise open landscape. This area is relatively elevated and there are some long views over the adjacent flat mosslands. The area has good conditions for wind power and wind powered corn mills, now disused or converted to private residences, are a feature of this landscape character area. 15b Longton-Bretherton The Longton landscape character area lies close to the south-western urban fringes of Preston. The proximity to a large urban centre has influenced landscape character. The network of minor lanes is dominated by dense ribbon development and the A 59(T), now a dual carriageway, links the former villages of Hutton, Longton,Walmer Bridge and

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